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Reviews of Illyria House

5 out of 5
Illyria House
327 Bourke Street, Pretoria, Gauteng

Reviews

8.8

Excellent

Rating 10 - Excellent. 29 out of 41 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 5 out of 41 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 4 out of 41 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 2 out of 41 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 1 out of 41 reviews" "

9.0/10

Cleanliness

9.4/10

Staff & service

6.0/10

Amenities

8.2/10

Property conditions & facilities

Reviews

6/10 Okay

Verified traveler

Liked: Staff & service
The staff and food were excellent, but the accomodation
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2019
Response from The Illyria House Team on Nov 19, 2019
Good day Thank you for your valuable feedback. Please can you send us more info with regards to the accommodation thank you so much.

4/10 Poor

Pieter

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
Dissappointing
The staff and service by the employees were amazing! The false advertising of the accommodation was disappointing to say the least. It is definitely not a hotel but rather a guest house. The facilities are outdated and run down. The owner was quite condescending and defensive.
Stayed 2 nights in May 2019
Response from Illyria House on May 21, 2019
Good day Pieter, Thank you for taking the time to give us your valued feedback. We are glad to hear that the service you received whilst visiting our establishment met your expectations. We are, however, sad to hear that the service was the only positive during your stay. We will be in contact with you shortly to gather more information regarding the rest of your review. Kind regards,

10/10 Excellent

Anton

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Beautiful house, if you appreciate antiques and an old style decor. However, it is the friendly service of Bongani that sets it apart. One could spend a month there and still not discover all the little treasures 😊
Stayed 5 nights in Jun 2018

10/10 Excellent

Chris

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
A night at tranquil Illyria House
If you like something a little quirky, this will do the trick. A trio of white ducks waddling through the 'ball room' sets the tone... The building is a grand old old house from a bygone time. The food (dinner and breakfast) were fantastic as was the wine selection. The staff are pleasant and willing to please and the property is in a quiet area with easy access to highways.

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
One Night Stop
We spent one night here before our flight back to U.K.Lovely quiet stop, beautifull grounds with very attentive staff.Food great.

10/10 Excellent

Michael

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

10/10 Excellent

Ryan

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
If you like a lot of servants around and a feeling of being pampered, this is probably a good choice. The house is exceptional and evokes a roaring 20's feel with how it is decorated. If you're a more independent-minded sort it may chafe a bit.

10/10 Excellent

Kirk, Washington DC

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Sanctuary
Illyria House was an absolute sanctuary to return to during a week of meetings. Beautiful gardens and general areas, outstanding food served at your convenience. Friendly and accommodating staff, quiet and nicely appointed rooms. Will not stay anywhere else in Pretoria after this!

8/10 Good

Beverley, Durban

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Awesome; will definitely return
personal service- nothing too much trouble; Great attention to detail; huge rooms; Freshly Cooked meals, superbly presented; freshly brewed coffee on tap; eccentric; quirky; elegant

10/10 Excellent

Janine, Pretoria

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
One in a million chance!
I wanted to go to a spa and then noticed that this hotel had an amazing rate of just R1100 per night. So I booked it immediately. I wanted to go to the hotel's spa for ages and now was the chance to use the spa facilities (sauna, flotation pool, gorgeous outdoor pool, Japanese hideaway retreat lounge) for much less than a spa visit, and on top of that, also stayed in a luxurious suite (named Salome). Breakfast very special, nice presentation of food. Owner also very chatty and made me felt very welcome. The butler is very attentive. Lush garden with many bird species. Many magazines and books to browse in many luxurious lounge areas. One can stay here for a long time!

6/10 Okay

Coenraad, Swakopmund

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Not really what you think it is
Stayed at this place after seeing these beautiful pictures on the website. I was initially ipressed with the place until I had to start making use of the services. Everything is old which can be nice and fancy, but was pressed into a room with an extra bed in the corner which didn't fit and for the prices you pay at this place I expected much better cupboards. Stayed over Christmas at this place which seems to me plays all the time these classical music, which in this case was Christmas songs. It was only one CD that played the whole day and eventually made us run away just to get away from the music. The Christmas lunch was the most I ever paid for what we received and really not worth half the price. The staff was extremely friendly and so the hostess, however, they didn't bother to make sure our fridge in the room was replenished daily with water and as well as the fruit and snacks. We booked the Jacuzi and I was so disappointed to see the dirty rings in the sides after I climbed into it. After booking a hot stone message we had to cancel eventually because it took them hours to heat up the stones with no electricity. The have some ducks that walk all over the place which is fine however I was not impressed with them walking through the lounge to get to the pond to swim. A lot of the products were not available although on the menu and the chef improvised a lot with his recipes which annoyed me as well. A wonderful place which is going backwards very fast.

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Recommended for romantics
Very interesting, slightly surreal experience. Grand, slightly faded ambiance, good food, great service.

10/10 Excellent

rebecca, ha

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Eclectic hotel which exudes charm and style.
We stayed for two nights and were completely overwhelmed by charm of this small hotel and the thoughtful service of the staff.

6/10 Okay

Verified traveler

Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
A shame
This place could be beautiful but unfortunately it's been left to deteriorate. The professional pictures you see are from a long time ago and the hotel no longer looks that way. The food was good but we had to order our dinner at 3pm as the chef makes everything fresh.

10/10 Excellent

James Sherry, Atlanta

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Much more than expected!
Charming hotel. We had a candlelight dinner in the wine cellar the first night. Great menu selections. We truly had our own butler who attended to everything. Can't wait to find an excuse to go back

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Excellent Choice
Illyria House is a small, very high quality hotel with an excellent restaurant. The hotel was formerly a single family home that has been converted to a luxury hotel. The place is immaculate -- hardwood floors that have been polished to within an inch of their lives, antiques, and an extremely attentive staff. Very quiet -- the house is surrounded by embassies to South Africa. This is not the place to go if you are looking for excitement, and you cannot walk to anything. However, if you are looking for quiet, a wonderful staff, and a beautifully maintained vintage building, this is your place in Pretoria.

10/10 Excellent

Walter

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Ilyria staff are fantastic!
Richard and Foster were amazing

10/10 Excellent

Jun

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Magical luxury
Foster, Richard, and the rest of the staff were completely amazing! Cant wait to come back and send all our friends and colleagues their way!

8/10 Good

Mike, Canada

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Outstanding experience
Yes the facilities are a little dated but that is all part of the charm. The personal attention is amazing. Like a remnant from another era. The hot tub, pool, private patio with table where you can eat or lounge....how romantic! The food was amazing....both dinner and breakfast. Treat yourself. You will not be disappointed.

10/10 Excellent

Phillip, Sydney

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
An absolute must to stay!
The accomodation was amazing, nothing else like this in Pretoria. Beautiful historical house with the warmth of home. Our hosts were exceptional so helpful and interesting, nothing was too much trouble. The food was to die for, I had the lobster and although I had had lobster many times this was unbelievable. I have travelled the world and stayed in many different places but this place was the best!

10/10 Excellent

mike, UK

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Unique and wonderful
Superb service in a uniquely charming hotel - strongly recommended.

10/10 Excellent

Richard Reibman, USA

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Elderly beauty
Extremely attentive service and very good food. But the rooms need a good cleaning and freshening. Overall a memorable experience.

10/10 Excellent

Anette, San Mateo, CA

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Wonderful staff at Illyria House
We met with Patient and Johannes who work at this guest house. Their service were wonderful and the food was great. This is truly a gem. We have enjoyed our stay here so much. Will definitely come back!

10/10 Excellent

Sean, London

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Spectacular!!
What an amazing period property. Opulance is the best way to describe this guest house. The owner was extremely welcoming making sure that we were well looked after. This was not necessary as the staff were superb but here intentions were much appreciated. I cannot recommend this destination more as a wonderful environment and amazing value for money. I for one will not hesitate to return.

4/10 Poor

Verified traveler

Disliked: Property conditions & facilities, room comfort
A great idea but needs significant investment
With such high ratings on expedia and trip advisor we were expecting something really special, but unfortunately this was not the case. At first instance the place is much smaller and more run down than the photos indicate. Other than the main entrance halls - which are beautiful - the house is in serious need of investment and a tidy up. Also the beds desperately need replaced / repaired - lumpy and squeaky - making for a poor nights sleep. The only real highlight for us was the breakfast - good food, garden view and service. This place has potential but is certainly not 5 stars - I would say more 3 stars and a little run down.

8/10 Good

Antony, Gauteng

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort
Over priced for RSA market
A unique and interesting place especially if you enjoy antique furniture and decor. We particularly enjoyed the quietness and serenity of the place. The food prices were astronomical and the quality certainly was not at the same level. The water pressure was also a problem and took us half an hour to fill the bath. Overall a different and memorable experience.

10/10 Excellent

Paul

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Live like a multi millionaire
An amazing place. A luxurious villa beautifully appointed with serious antiques, crystal chandeliers and complimented by wonderful butler service. Very discrete (no signs) and very tranquil. Expensive but worth it if your budget can stretch that far. We were upgraded to a luxury suite in the main house, cheaper rooms are in a Japanese style and located near the pool at the bottom of the garden down a couple of flights of stairs. They have their own lush Japanese garden.

10/10 Excellent

Bonnye, Jacksonville,FL

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Exceptionally wonderful place to stay.
The grounds and the rooms were beautiful. The food was very good and wonderfully presented. What made them exceptional was when they checked on our Rovos Rail booking and told us that Rovos had sent us the wrong departure time. The owners driver was not there so she drove us herself so we would not miss the train. The staff came out and sang to us just before she drove us to the train station. I wish I had had time to use the spa. Don't miss this wonderful find. Great place if you are taking the Rovos trip.

8/10 Good

Pierre

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 3 nights in Nov 2018
Response from Illyria House on Jan 14, 2019
Good day Pierre, Thank you for your 4-star review, we really appreciate it. We do look forward to welcoming you back in the near future. Warm regards,

2/10 Terrible

Verified traveler

Disliked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Hur i all världen 5 stjärigt???!!!
Kommer aldrig åka dit igen kommer heller aldrig rekomendera detta till någon!!

10/10 Excellent

Clive, Pulheim

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Our return to Illyria House
At Illyria House we were put up in a large well equipped junior suite situated away from the main house.Our lunch which was slow in coming but well worth waiting for was served on the rear patio overlooking the garden and the hidden pools. Illyria House is today a hotel, but for many years it was the family home and even today you feel that you are staying at a private house rather than at a hotel The only difference is you will get a final invoice to pay just before you leave. After lunch, the owner came to welcome us back and what then followed was unique, quirky and will stay with us for many years to come. Content censured by my wife too personal. The owner turned dinner into a magic moment and had set up a candle light dinner for us in the small but well stocked wine cellar – how romantic.. The evening was magic, we both were treated as life long friends. Illyria House is very much set in the colonial style. If you look carefully you will find things which need repairing, the rooms are functional and full of personal artefacts from the family. Please remember this was her home and we were treated like friends and not like a hotel guest. With this in mind, I found the time spent at Illyria House was outstanding. On a practical note, we requested a Johannesburg airport pick-up which the hotel arrangement per email. The staff were there to meet us and like last time, came together and sang to us on our departure.

10/10 Excellent

Bob, Rotterdam

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Bijzonder, zeldzaam en niet voor gewone mensen
Veel meegemaakt maar dit nog nooit. Een huis en een tuin zo groot dat er geen einde aan lijkt te komen. Twee zwembaden, drie jacuzzi's, diverse tuinen en gastenvertrekken, en nog in een koloniale gastvrije sfeer. De eigenaresse is creatief, artistiek en een bijzonder mens. Voor wie gewone professionele dienstverlening wil, ga dan naar Hilton of zo, maar voor wie het bijzondere kan waarderen is er veel te genieten.

8/10 Good

ROBERT, Réunion Island

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Bien
Bien

10/10 Excellent

Truls, Bergen

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Noe utenom det vanlige
Vi har besøkt Illyria flere ganger og har alltid vært fornøyd. Dette hotellet er for spesielt interesserte.Det gir deg en føleles av å være tilbake i Afrika for over 100 år siden.

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Unglaublich !
Das Illyria Haus war ein Erlebnis. Toller Service, tolle Zimmer und die Zeit scheint einfach stehen geblieben zu sein. Jedoch im positiven Sinn. Erholung pur mit einer unglaublich charmanten Besitzerin, die sich gut auskennt und Ihre Stadt liebt. Das merkt man bei der sehr persönlichen Stadtführung.

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

10/10 Excellent

Barroo Albert

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

10/10 Excellent

Truls Disen

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
ET hotell med 1850 talls stil
meget fornøyd

10/10 Excellent

Guy Filion

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
quartier secure et arborise de Pretoria
merveilleux comme arret de repos entre 2 destinatons de découvertes

6/10 Okay

Verified traveler

Liked: Staff & service
Hotel was bijzonder maar had ook iets van vergane glorie. Het eten was helaas erg onder de maat.